My Yorkie is dragging her back legs and not eating. What's wrong?

Hi. I'm sorry Chupa hurt herself. If she is dragging her rear legs she needs to be seems by a vet asap. She may have a back or spinal cord injury. If she can stand and move both legs she may be ok with a bit of rest but if she is dragging her legs at all or wobbly on them then she needs to be checked by a vet. In the meantime don't let her jump up or down on furniture, make sure to carry her up and down stairs and keep her confined to a small area or crate. I hope Chupa is better soon.

This indicates that she has some degree of damage to the spinal nerves or peripheral nerves that control that leg. This can happen when they are hit hard by something, or (more likely) when they have a lower-spine disease. Old dogs tend to be more susceptible to various spinal cord problems that develop with age. These can be treatable though, so it's best to take Trixie for a vet evaluation sometime soon. The vet will be able to narrow-down the cause of this problem and provide pain relief (these conditions are usually very painful). For now, it's best to restrict her activity, as this can worsen her condition. Do not allow her to run, jump, or go on long walks until advised otherwise by your veterinarian. I hope that helps and Trixie gets better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lucy. She needs to see her veterinarian today. I am concerned that she may experiencing neck or back pain. It is common in small breed dogs and can be excruciatingly painful. It starts as a reluctance to walk or move, the dog will avoid stairs and is hesitant to jump on furniture. It is common for the appetite to be decreased and the dog to pant and shake. It can progress to weakness or even paralysis of a limb. So it is best to address it as soon as possible if this is the cause of her symptoms. In the meantime, keep her very quiet and carry her when she needs to move. I hope this information helps you and Lucy. Good luck!

This sounds like she may have injured her back which is very serious and needs immediate veterinary attention. If she isn’t using her rear legs this may be temporary or if the nerves have been damaged she could become permanently paralyzed. Please take her in the treatment right away. They will give medication for the pain and to reduce the inflammation around the nerves. Dogs can rupture a disc in their back and may need surgery to relieve the pressure so they can walk again. It’s best to get an exam to determine the cause of her pain and lack of walking in the rear legs. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tootie.

Poor Chakita! She may have blocked anal glands and that's causing the strange walking and trouble defecating. I would recommend a vet visit for sure, but you can look under her tail and see if any area there in the region of the anal glands looks raw, red, swollen or painful. These glands can get blocked and then abscess and this is a very painful condition, and usually by the time it gets to this point the dog really needs to be on pain medication and antibiotics, and you won't be able to do much for her at home. You can always try to soak her rear end in a warm water-epsom salt bath several times daily to help alleviate anal gland swelling if this is the issue, but it'd be best for her to see a veterinarian to make sure there isn't something more serious going on like a rectal tumor or blockage.

Hello. Make sure that there is no hair caught in the nail bed & make sure none of the toe nails are broken, cracked or growing into the paw pad(s). If this looks OK, then the next step is to have your veterinarian evaluate Little Mama to see if this is a soft tissue problem like a sprain or ACL tear, a bone problem like a fracture, bone spur or arthritis, or possibly even a neoplastic issue. Rest her as much as possible until you can have her seen by your veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You will need to take Belly back to your vets today. Dragging a leg is a very concerning signs, it could be due to leg fracture, pelvic fracture or hip dislocation. It also could be a sign of spinal cord compression (from diseased intervertebral disc) or a small clot that is causing spinal cord problems. Please, do not give any anti-inflammatory medications before you see your vets as they may want to give him a stronger anti-inflammatory drug today.